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Originally Posted by blueump
This isn't football. What the heck is a "legal block off the bag?" I agree with Rich, make the expected call here. No advantage to F3 for pushing, pulling, or "blocking" the runner off the bag! Call time, and leave the runner at 1st.
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Most of the time, you see it at home plate, where the catcher will stretch their left leg back in front of the plate, as they are receiving the ball, to block the runner off while they apply the tag.
This year, I have been seeing it more and more at other bases. Pretty risky play for an unprotected fielder.
In this case, F3 did not push or pull the runner. The runner, because he came in standing instead of diving, bumped F3 off of the bag.
Ignoring the fact that the runner never touched the base, prior to being tagged, and calling him safe, definately would have been the expected call, and probably would have avoided the mess. Unless the defensive coach, standing outside the 1st base dugout, would have seen what I saw. Then I may have been dumping him instead. But most likely, making the expected call would have slipped through.
Just a funny note: As the ejected coach was walking back to the dugout, droping F-bombs at the top of his lungs, a player shouted from the defensive dugout: "Hey coach, why don't you teach your runners to dive back, then he would have been safe !" That got a rather nasty glare from the coach.